Ours is a society very concerned with image. Personal appearance is a major concern to nearly everyone. It is of sufficient import to many people that they choose to alter their appearance through cosmetic surgery.
Cosmetic surgery can be used both to modify a person's natural attribute and to battle the aging process. "Face lifts" and "eye lifts" are relatively common procedures in this field. The procedure this invention is chiefly concerned with is the eye lift, more properly termed blepharoplasty.
Blepharoplasty is the procedure used to eliminate ptosis, or droop of the upper eyelid. This is generally required when, as a person ages, the skin in the vicinity of the eyelid loses elasticity and begins to sag. The condition can have other causes, but aging is the main culprit.
Currently, blepharoplasty is performed by surgically removing a wedge of tissue from the mid-region of the eyelid, then stitching the exposed edges together. This process obviously entails trauma to the eyelid, enough so that a two to four week healing process is required. Naturally, one would like to be able to reduce or eliminate the healing time required. In order to accomplish this, another method of contracting the eyelid must be used.
One alternate method is bonding epidermal tissue through the use of adhesives. One consideration inherent in the use of tissue adhesives would be the possibility of toxicity problems. Research indicates that this is not an insurmountable problem for some adhesives, including medical adhesives used for other purposes. Additionally, the problem may be solvable by the use of some cyanoacrylates. See, e.g., "Synthesis and Bioevaluation of a Rapidly Biodegradable Tissue Adhesive: 1, 2 - Isopropylidene Glyceryl 2 - Cyanoacrylate", Jaffe, et al., Journal of Biomedical Materials Research, vol. 20, pp. 213-217 (1986).
It has also been shown that adhesive material can be used to effect a bond of the eyelid tissue. Harold D. Clavin, M.D., in his article "Nonsurgical Upper Blepharoplasty", Plastic Reconstructive Surgery, November, 1985, 76(5), pp. 784-787, disclosed a method using double sided tape and an applicator. In the Clavin method, a fold in the upper eyelid is secured by a segment of tape of appropriate size and shape. Originally, the Clavin method had been intended only to give prospective patients an idea of the results obtainable through surgical blepharoplasty. The idea was met with such enthusiasm that the tape is now being used as a temporary cosmetic enhancement.
One drawback to the Clavin method is that its effect may be very short lived. The longest wearing time disclosed in Clavin's article is seven days. Patients desiring a more permanent effect are forced to undergo surgical blepharoplasty. There are currently no intermediate choices available. In view of this situation, it can be seen that there exists a need for a semi-permanent form of non-surgical blepharoplasty.